Advertising device



y 1934- F. c. BENDER 1,965,448

ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Jan. 11, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 /7 DO T NVY OF IN R'fb- URSHHR GET tor

2 i kB/ZCZQI" July 3, 1934. BENDER 1,965,448

ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Jan. 11, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Invcnlor 23 By 53" v July 3, 1934. F. c. BENDER 1,965,448

ADVERTIS ING DEVICE Filed Jan. 11, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Invcnlor Patented July 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a novel advertising device for use particularly in display windows and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character which will attract and hold the attention of passers-by through the medium of its mystery of operation.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an advertising device of the aforementioned character which will be simple in construction, strong, durable, reliable in operation, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of an advertising device constructed in accordance with the present invention, the floor being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the driving mechanism.

Figure 4 is a detail view in perspective, showing the means for connecting the hoops to the endless chains.

Figure 5 is a detail View in perspective of one of the channel members with which each chain is provided for connecting the hoops thereto.

Figure 6 is a plan view, showing the course taken by the hoops and further showing the sup porting wall in horizontal section.

Figures '7, 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views indicating the travel of the hoops.

Figure 10 is a detail view in vertical section, showing the connection of the hoop supporting stem or member with the shaft upon which said stem or member is mounted.

Figure 11 is a detail view in horizontal section, showing the means for turning the hoops at right angles when traveling between the observer and the containers.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a supporting structure which is designated generally by the reference numeral 1, said supporting structure including a vertical wall 2 and a floor 3. Spaced beneath the floor 3 is a frame 4.

Mounted beneath the floor 3 is an electric motor 5 which is operatively connected to a pump 6 by a shaft '7. A pipe 8 is connected, at one end, with the outlet of the pump 6, said pipe extending upwardly behind the wall 2 to a suitable point where it passes horizontally through said wall and. has mounted on its other end a container 9 with which the pipe 8 communicates. It will thus be seen that the pipe 8 constitutes a fluid supply means and also a support for the container 9. The construction and arrangement is such that the container 9 conceals the pipe 8 when the apparatus is viewed from its front. As seen in Figure 6 of the drawings, the portion of the pipe 8 which is disposed forwardly of the wall 2 is turned at right angles, as at 10, to parallel the wall and the container 9 and then makes another right angular turn, as at 11, into the container.

The reference numeral 12 designates a pipe which is connected, at one end, to the intake of the pump 6, said pipe extending upwardly behind the wall 2 to a suitable point where it passes through said wall and has mounted thereon a container 13 which is spaced below the container 9. The portion of the pipe 12 which projects forwardly of the wall 2 is bent in a manner similar to the corresponding portions 10 and 11 of the pipe 8. The pipe 12 communicates with the container 13 for receiving the fluid therefrom and also constitutes a support for said container 13. The con struction and arrangement is such that the container 13 conceals the adjacent portion of the pipe 13 from observers in front of the apparatus.

The containers 9 and 13 may be of any suitable form. In the form shown, the container 9 is a barrel having a discharge spigot 14 at one end. The container 13 is a representation of a horizontally disposed man with a representation of a cover 15 extending substantially from the head to the feet upon which any suitable advertising matter, as at 16, may be placed. Then, a funnel 17 is provided which receives the fluid from the spigot 14 of the container 9. The containers 9 and 13 have no visible means of support when the apparatus is viewed from the front thereof, said containers appearing to be suspended in mid-air.

Rising from the frame 4 are pairs of rotary shafts 18 having horizontal sprockets 19 fixed thereon. Endless chains 20 are trained over the pairs of sprockets 19. The shaft 7 of the electric motor 5 is connected to the adjacent shaft 18 by a chain and sprocket connection 21. A crossed belt and pulley connection 22 operatively connects one shaft 18 of one of the pairs of said shafts to one of the shafts of the other pair of said shafts, as best seen in Figure 3 of the drawings.

Fixed on the outer side of each chain 20 is a channel member 23 which extends horizontally and which has spaced openings 24 in its upper side. The reference numeral 25 designates a block which is mounted alternately on the chains 20 through the medium of means including the channel members 23. The block 25 is provided with openings 26 for registry with the openings 24, said block being engageable in the channel Fixed on the block 25 and rising therefrom is a male shaft 27 upon the upper portion of which is rotatably mounted a female shaft 28 which, of

course, is provided with a bore or socket for receiving said shaft 2'7. The lower portion of the female shaft 28 is counterbored, as at 29, (see Figure 10) to accommodate a coil spring 30 which encircles the shaft 27 and has one end anchored therein and its other end anchored in said shaft 28 for yieldingly urging same in one direction, said spring being under tension. The shaft 28 rests rotatably on a pin 31 which is mounted transversely in the shaft 27. An angular arm 32 projects from the lower portion of the shaft 28 and is engageable with a stop 33 which rises from one end of the pin 31 for limiting the rotation of said shaft 28 under impulsion by the coil spring 30. Integral or connected hoops 34 are mounted on the shaft 28 for rotation therewith. Each hoop 34 is split and includes an inconspicuous or substantially invisible hinged or other suitable type of joint 35 which will readily pass the pipes 8 and 12.

The shaft 28 travels in communicating slots 36 which are provided therefor in the floor 3. The floor sections 37 which are within the slots 36 may be supported in any suitable manner, as at 38, on the frame 4. Mounted on the lower sides of the floor sections 37, adjacent opposite ends of the chains 20, as seen in Figure 3 of the drawings, are cams 39, the purpose of which will be presently set forth.

Mounted transversely on the shaft 2''! for swinging movement in a vertical plane is a lever 49 having fixed thereon, on opposite sides of said shaft 27, pairs of pins 41 which are engageable in the openings 24 and 26 foralternately connecting the block 25 to the channel members 23. The cams 39 are positioned in the path of the end portions of the lever 40 for rocking said lever for disconnecting the block 25 from one of the channel members 23 and simultaneously connecting said block to the other channel member 23, thereby transferring the block from one of the chains 20 to the other of said chains.

Mounted beneath the floor 3 adjacent the outer portion of the forwardrnost slot 36 is a rail 42 which is engageable by the arm 32 on the shaft 28 for rotating said shaft substantially a quarter of a revolution against the tension of the spring 30.

It will thus be seen that the construction and arrangement is such that the hoops 34 will pass longitudinally over the containers 9 and 13, as seen in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. After completing the first passage over the containers, the hoops are brought forwardly, or toward the observer in front of the apparatus, on the forwardmost chain 20, the arm 32 engaging the rail 42 for turning the hoops to a position in parallelism with the containers, as suggested in Figure 9 of the drawings. After the hoops have been returned substantially to the starting point and the adjacent end of the rail 42 has been passed, the spring 30 again rotates said hoops to dispose the same in alignment with the containers 9 and 13 for another passage thereover, the stop 33 arresting rotary movement of the shaft 28 upon which the hoops are mounted at the proper point. After the hoops complete the second passage over the containers, or substantially complete said second passage, the high end of the lever 40 engages its respective cam 39 for transferring the block 25 to the other chain 20. Then, upon the completion of this second passage over the containers, the hoops are returned between the containers and the wall 2, as suggested in Figures 6 and 8 of the drawings, said hoops being rotated by engagement with the end portion of the pipes 8 and 12 and being returned between the portions 10 of said pipes and the wall 2, the joints 35 permitting the hoops to pass the pipes when this return passage has been substantially accomplished, as previously set forth. The spring 30 again actuates the hoops to a position in alignment with the containers and the next passage over said containers is begun. The other cam 39 engages the end portion of the lever 40 which is now high for transferring the block 25 back to the chain 20 upon which it was first mounted. This operation is, of course, continuous. The hoops 34 pass through the stream of fluid which is flowing by gravity from the spigot 14 to the funnel 17, thus showing that no supporting or supply means is concealed within said stream. Of course, the pump 6 receives the fiuid from the lower container 13 and returns said fluid to the container 9, The flow of the fluid from the container 9 to the container 13 may, of course, be regulated through the medium of the spigot 14. It is believed that the many advantages of an advertising device constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:-

1. An advertising device comprising a supportv ing structure, an object, supporting means for said object, a pair of parallel endless conveyors mounted on the supporting structure, means for actuating the conveyors, a hoop adapted to pass over and around the object, said hoop having a split therein for passing the object supporting means, and means for alternately connecting the hoop to the conveyors for actuation thereby.

2. An advertising device comprising a supporting structure, an object, supporting means for said object, a pair of parallel endless conveyors mounted on the supporting structure, means for actuating the conveyors, a hoop adapted to pass over and around the object, said hoop having a split therein for passing the object supporting 1 means, and means for alternately connecting the hoop to the conveyors for actuation thereby, the last named means including channel members mounted on the conveyors, said channel members having openings therein, a supporting shaft for the hoop, a block on the supporting shaft engageable in the channel members and having openings therein for registry with the first-named openings, a lever pivotally mounted on the shaft, pins on the lever engageable in the registered openings, and cams on the supporting structure for actuating the lever alternately in opposite directions for engaging the pins in the registered openings to releasably lock the block in the channel members.

FREDERICK C. BENDER. 

